Wayne Frederick

Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick was appointed the 17th president of Howard University in 2014 and was named the distinguished Charles R. Drew Professor of Surgery by the Board of Trustees in 2020. He previously served in numerous capacities within the University, including provost and chief academic officer, director of the Cancer Center, associate dean in the College of Medicine, division chief in the Department of Surgery, and deputy provost for health sciences. Today, he continues to operate and also gives lectures to second-year medical students and surgical residents of Howard’s medical school.

As president, Dr. Frederick has advanced Howard University’s commitment to student opportunity, academic innovation, public service and fiscal stability. He has also pursued initiatives to streamline and strengthen University operations. In addition, he has overseen a series of reform efforts, including the expansion of academic offerings, establishing innovative programs to support student success and the modernization of University facilities.

Dr. Frederick matriculated to Howard in 1988 to pursue a B.S./M.D. dual degree program. He completed the requirements for both degrees in six years, allowing him to earn his Bachelor of Science degree and his medical degree by the age of 22. He also earned a Master of Business Administration from Howard University’s School of Business in 2011.

Following his post-doctoral research and surgical oncology fellowships at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Frederick began his academic career as associate director of the Cancer Center at the University of Connecticut.

Dr. Frederick is the author of numerous peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, abstracts and editorials and is a widely recognized expert on disparities in health care and medical education. His medical research focuses on narrowing racial, ethnic and gender disparities in cancer care outcomes, especially in relation to gastrointestinal cancers.

Dr. Frederick also devotes his time to writing and speaking on salient topics in higher education including the impact of historically Black colleges and universities, campus intellectual diversity, the underrepresentation of African-American men in medical school, and gender equity on college campuses.

Dr. Frederick has received various awards honoring his scholarship, service and community impact. He was chosen as the first-ever recipient of the Educator Award by the Lowell F. Hawthorne Foundation, Inc. He was honored with the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center for his contributions to the medical field. He was presented with the Diaspora Public Diplomacy Leadership Award by the Embassy of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago for his contributions to strengthening Trinidad and Tobago-United States bilateral relations through excellence in global educational leadership. In 2015, Dr. Frederick was also recognized by the then president of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago for his appointment as president of Howard University.

Dr. Frederick also serves on numerous boards and committees. He was appointed to the board of directors of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Cancer Society as well as Humana Inc and Insulet Corporation. Dr. Frederick is a member of surgical and medical associations, including the American Surgical Association and the American College of Surgeons. In January 2017, the Federal Reserve System Board of Governors elected Dr. Frederick to the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

Dr. Frederick has also been featured as one of “America’s Best Physicians” by Black Enterprise magazine. He was named one of EBONY magazine’s “Power 100,” and recognized as a “Super Doctor” in The Washington Post Magazine. In 2017, he was named “Washingtonian of the Year” by Washingtonian magazine and was inducted into the St. Mary’s College, Port of Spain, Trinidad Hall of Fame. In 2020, he was named Nonprofit Leader of the Year by Washington Business Journal. And in 2021, he was honored as a “Great Immigrant, Great American” by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

In March 2022, Dr. Frederick received Trinidad and Tobago’s highest honor, The Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (ORTT).